Double row receptacle connectors are known for flat transmission cable, which comprise a connector assembly for mating with a two-row pin array. Such connector assemblies route adjacent closely spaced signal conductors of the flat cable to terminals on alternating sides of the connector while routing the respective ground conductors to a ground bus contained in the connector.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,260,209 discloses such a connector for providing mass termination of a flat transmission cable, where the receptacle terminals for the signal conductors have slotted beam termination sections and are terminated to the conductors by insulation displacement. Similarly the ground conductors are secured in slotted beams of the ground bus. The receptacle terminals and ground bus are disposed along respective recesses of a housing, the conductors of the cable are terminated thereto, a cover is placed over the terminations, and a strain relief member is secured to the assembly. The connector provides for selective programming of ground terminals by connecting selected receptacle terminals to the ground bus instead of to signal conductors, by grounding bars or by sacrificed signal conductors.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,269,466 discloses another double row receptacle connector for flat transmission cable wherein the terminals are disposed in channels along opposing sides of a housing member and respective signal conductors are terminated by insulation displacement to slotted beam termination sections. Cover members are placed against the sides of the housing, locking to the housing at its forward end and to each other at the rearward end providing cable strain relief. A ground bus bar engages the ground conductors by a plurality of slotted beam termination sections. To selectively program the ground terminals of the connector, the ground bus bar can have selectively positioned termination sections to engage sacrificed signal conductors by insulation displacement which signal conductors then proceed forwardly to engage respective receptacle contacts which become ground terminals.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,602,831 assigned to the assignee hereof, discloses an electrical connector for individual transmission cables with minimized impedance discontinuities. The connector provides a row of plug contact sections extending forwardly from a dielectric contact-carrying member on one side of which are secured signal contacts terminated to signal conductors, and on the other side of which is secured a ground plane to which are terminated the ground conductors. An insulative cover is overmolded therearound which seals the terminations which are preferably laser welded, and also extends along the cables providing strain relief. Contact sections extend forwardly from the ground plane at selected locations aligned with the signal contact sections.
It is desirable to provide a double row receptacle connector with programmable grounds.
It is also desirable to provide such a connector for individual signal transmission cables.
It is still further desirable to provide such a connector for transmission of signals with high speed and high reliability by providing for minimized impedance discontinuities.
It is even further desirable to provide such a connector having a dielectric cover which seals the conductor/terminal connections and the adjacent lengths of insulated conductor cables, holds the terminals immobile, and spaces and provides strain relief for the cables without deforming them.